So, I've been exchanging language lessons with Maya's art teacher for a couple of weeks now. We've gotten off to a rocky start with our scheduling, but I think we've gotten it settled to Mondays and Fridays at 11am. Day-before-yesterday, I had another session and I felt like I really made some wonderful progress. I'm learning my numbers which is really important because when I go shopping, it would help to know what they mean when someone tells me how much something is. I know how to say "how much is this" (eh-my-yo), but until now, I've had to have people either use their fingers to tell me how much something is or write it down. But now, I know how to say 1 - 5 (actually, it is Chinese, which is what they use here for numbers) and am learning 6 - 10.

On Monday, I asked Seo-hee to help me learn how to ask the local market to deliver my groceries. It would be so helpful to be able to go there with the girls, shop and then have them deliver it home 1/2 hour later. And they do delivery for free, which is a bonus! Anyway, so she taught me how to say "please deliver this": bae-dal hae-ju-se-yo. And my apartment number which is 1704: il chun (one thousand) chil baek (seven hundred) sa (four) ho (apartment). I already knew from having to tell taxi drivers how to say "building 23": ee ship (twenty) sam (three). Anyway, so I was practicing it in my head all afternoon. I felt a sense of empowerment. And I told Seo-hee. She was so happy for me. She is also helping me learn to read and write. I'm so very happy to have finally gotten this going with her.

On Monday night, after Chris got home, I ran to the market to get a few things for the girls for the next day. And my lessons started paying off. I understood when the cashier told me how much the total was before I looked at the register! I understood perfectly when she asked me if I wanted my stuff delivered (I said no though because I didn't want the delivery guy to wake up the girls when he rang the doorbell). Also! Also, on the way home, I started to read some of the signs in Hangul. I don't necessarily know what the words mean, but I was reading them! Mostly they were store signs and ads for restaurants, so I knew they were just names.

I came home and was just beaming with pride and excitement at learning more this coming Friday. I feel like I'm making more progress at trying to adapt to living here and taking advantage of this opportunity.

haha, yay! It's Chinese but we call it "Sino-Korean" which means Korean that is derived from the Chinese language. :D There's 2 sets of numbers... Sino-Korean for phone numbers, money, years, etc and the Korean set for age, how many of whatever one has and other stuff.

And the "how much is this" is more of "uhl my yo" then "eh my yo." You should have seen my brother and I try to explain to a guy in a store that we wanted toilet paper...

Haha, you can definitely do more than I did when I was in Korea... I'd just say, "hangook mal jal mol-la-yo" (I don't know Korean well) and then just give them bills.

If you ever want any help in Korean, I'd be happy to help, also! Maybe this summer sometime, although my jaw will be elasticized shut, lol.

AWESOME. I think language is a big part of feeling at home somewhere and feeling comfortable. Good luck. I too love the thrill of speaking a new language. I felt the same way when I was learning to read sheet music. It's fun to suddenly recognize things that were alien only a few weeks ago ... before you know it, Seoul will be yours!!

I'm so happy for you. It's great to read about the progress you make in adapting to your new surroundings and quite inspiring too.

I guess some people might just sit back and moan expecting things just to happen for them, but this makes you realise you have to make the effort to get something out of being in a new country and a new culture.